Intimacy and privacy intruded by the NSA

An art-project like “What the world has never seen” is much more than only an expression of artistic abilities. Although nowadays form is the only thing curators focus on when making selections for exhibitions and purchases for collections, with “What the world has never seen” we find a combination of form ànd content.

It is not only about the style of the “What the world has never seen”-pictures, but also about what these images tell us.

For two years now “What the world has never seen” creates artistic value but at the same time is linked to what threatens our privacy and intimacy. All the people who during the last two years could not be waken up by this important message of “What the world has never seen”, got a shock when recently the PRISM-program of the American NSA was revealed. On a large scale persons outside the USA have been illegally tapped and monitored by the American  NSA. These persons were robbed of their privacy and intimacy and this was not done by an enemy, but by a country that propagates democracy, liberty, civil rights and pretends to be an ally and friend.

In Europe we have the Euro-commissioner Viviane Reding responsible for Justice. She has now the opinion that personal data of the Europeans must be legally protected as soon as possible.

Mrs. Reding considers this protection a fundamental right. That is very beautiful but how come for years the Americans could sniff at Europeans, even checking what they were doing with their bank-accounts?

This recent revelation of PRISM proves how relevant “What the world has never seen” is. It turns out that Viviane Reding knew about PRISM and that she has been discussing this subject with American authorities in the past. Only after Edward Snowden, the whistleblower on PRISM, revealed publicly the amazing facts of the illegal activities of the American Government, only then did Reding publicly oppose and condemn these activities.

Because Viviane Reding is concerned about public opinion. An outrage by Europeans is damaging to her position and career. Therefore, the more people are aware, conscious, know the facts, respect, protect and defend their rights, their privacy, their intimacy, will politicians do what is good for our lives.

See: www.whattheworldhasneverseen.com

And: www.whattheworldhasneverseen.wordpress.com

Tax Dollar Paradise

The United States is the best country to live in.
Because the Government is absolutely insane.
Due to overspending the United States has a national debt now of 1.300 billion Dollars.
The US politicians have been spending like lunatics over the last years.
And liberating the financial markets in such a way that now the whole world is in an economic crises and suffering.

What is the solution to this serious problem?
In Greece and Ireland the same situation has occurred.
Their Governments have also been spending more money than was coming in.
Financing it by borrowing until the debt became too big and bankruptcy of the whole country was threatening.
The solution to this dramatic problem has been found in other European countries helping Ireland and Greece out by re-financing their debts.
But with the conditions that Ireland and Greece take strict and severe austerity measures.
Stop spending like idiots and raise taxes.

The USA takes another direction to solve their huge economic problems.
Instead of settling more favorably the debts, start charging higher taxes and limit spending seriously, the United States starts spending an extra 858 billion Dollars.
This was approved by the Senate yesterday.
Americans will pay lower taxes and this also for the rich, the very rich and the ultra rich.
In fact, the US Government starts subsidizing their citizens to the amount of 858 billion Dollars.
Inflating the national debt with 66 %.
The idea behind it is that when the US citizens have more money to spend the economy will start rolling coasting again.
There are two problems with this expectation that is an illusion.
The current economic crises has made most people afraid and scared.
They have learned the hard way it is better not to buy and spend like crazy customers but to save for a rainy day.
When the tax reduction results in more money in the pocket, most may go to savings account doing nothing for the economy.
The other problem, and a much more fundamental and serious one, is that the politicians envisage a future where we will be back like it was in 80’s and 90’s.
People making good money and spending like there was no end to it.
The consumer society in optima forma.
Capitalism and materialism and selfishness and unawareness about what is the cost to nature and the environment.
For the short term the USA may be economically the best country to live.
But it is heading for financial catastrophe.




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Lacking empathy

The most recent blog was about TV in the Netherlands.
How seven channels out of ten were showing almost exclusively American films and series.
Mostly of poor quality.

The blog was not critical about those American products.
It criticized the responsible Dutch persons for the seven TV channels in the Netherlands for thinking only of money.

One sensitive American loyal and fervent blog reader was unable to understand this.
He wrote a comment saying:

“Dude, you need to calm down a bit and focus on the positive. You dwell on mostly negative things in, or about, the USA. Don't be a hater”.

Not only was the man unable to understand what the blog was about, he assessed incorrectly that most of the blogs are about the USA.
Why, we may ask, does this man feel that the USA is attacked?
When it was not.

In his comment he even goes more berserk:

"You take nice snapshots with your cameras, so do that and write about that".

The man is most judgmental and again lacking any expertise.
But he is not without an extreme high dose of arrogance and pretentious paternalism.

Regretfully this man is demonstrating to be unable to have empathy.
He is so deep inside his own American self satisfaction that he is unable to imagine the situations of other people.

As an experiment, imagine you are an American and living in the USA.
You watch TV and you have only ten channels.
But on seven of them are only Chinese films and series.
How would an American feel about that?
Would an American appreciate that?
Would an American not ask why he cannot see American films and series?
Would he not criticize the responsible persons in the USA for putting only Chinese films and series on American TV?
Would he not be outraged?
Hence, why can’t a European not be dissatisfied by a similar situation?

There is another flagrant example.
How would an American feel if his bank accounts in the USA were open for monitoring by the Chinese authorities?
So that the Chinese authorities can see how much money comes in and how it is spend?
An American will scream hell.
Based on liberty and privacy no American would tolerate this kind of spying.

But the fact is that the USA is doing exactly this with the Europeans.
The US Government monitors every bank account of the Europeans.

What must a European feel about this?
Will the European not think in the same way about this like an American who realizes his bank account is monitored by the Chinese Government?
Therefore, why is a European not allowed by a fervent and loyal American blog reader to be upset?
An American with a minimum of empathy would understand it very well.




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Who creates terrorism?

Not too long ago a South Korean warship was sunk.
An investigation revealed it had been hit by a torpedo.
Presumably fired by a North Korean submarine.

North Korea denies this vehemently.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of the USA though, travels around condemning North Korea and is looking for support of other countries to punish, possibly militarily, North Korea.

Israel attacks, in international waters, a convoy of commercial ships carrying humanitarian aid for 1,5 million Palestinians it forces to live in ultimate misery in the Gaza Strip.
At least 10 people of the peaceful and humanitarian people on board those civilian ships were killed by the Israelian army.
What has the USA Government to say about this barbaric behavior?
Only this: it "deeply regrets the loss of life" and is "working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy".

Now there are massive protests in Turkey because of the Israelian attack that the USA sees as only "a tragedy" and not as a condemnable crime.
Thousands marched in protest in Istanbul, some setting Israeli flags on fire after trying to storm the Israeli consulate.
Israel quickly advised to its citizens to avoid travel to Turkey.
In neighboring Jordan, hundreds demonstrated in the capital Amman to protest the Israeli action and demand that their government breaks diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.

What North Korea possibly has done justifies harsh condemnation and sanctions.
What Israel does is only a "tragedy" and is so complicated for the US-Government that circumstances need to be understood.

With this kind of policy, measuring with two different kind of rulers, no wonder there is terrorism in the world.
We must ask ourselves therefore: who is responsible for this terrorism?
Who is creating it?



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Seven years of war

It is seven years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan and no end in sight.

Tens of thousands of protesters marched therefore Friday through Washington's streets going to the White House.

Shouting and saying:


"Arrest that war criminal!" (refers to Barack Obama)


"The honeymoon is over with that war criminal in the White House"


"He's kept Guantanamo open, he's continued to use indefinite detention.
The only real difference is that Obama's speeches are better."

"President Obama, we love you but we need to tell you: Your hands are getting bloody!!
Stop it now."

"If there were a draft, we'd have a million people out here demonstrating"

"Iraq veterans against the war."

"We've essentially become a country of restrictions rather than a country of freedoms."

"The country is broke, this war is a joke."

"Bread not bombs."

"People are getting used to the war, and don't bother even to think about it anymore."

"We want all the troops wherever they are to come back."





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Spiral of violence

The subject of having the right to own a gun and to have the right to decide about life and death stirs the emotions and several comments have been received and published.

Including one newspaper clipping of a recent story of three young guys who burglarized a house in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, USA.
Boys of 18 and 17 years old equipped with a knife and a machete.
Who selected a house on an isolated road where a woman and her 11-year old daughter were living.
The woman, Kimberley Cates, was stabbed to death in her bed and her daughter seriously injured.
The 17 year old Steven Spader is accused of hitting the woman with the machete.

One can conclude from this story that it is a wise thing to have a gun in the house.
To say that if the unfortunate woman in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, USA would have had a gun, she could have killed the three boys and saved her life.

Although this presumption is very hypothetical and another version could be made that even having a gun would not have been very helpful, there is another side to the story.

Let's have a look at those boys.
A 17 year old boy who goes with two young friends armed with a knife and a machete to a house that is on an isolated road obviously with the intent to make amok.
How is such an idea and such a plan coming up in the head of a 17 year old?
In what context is he living that this is in his head and in those of the two others, as a viable plan to do?

One thing that is known of these boys is that they were in the possession of marijuana.
They were users of soft drugs.

That gives us revealing conclusions:

1/ There is marijuana available in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, USA: also for under 18 years old boys.

2/The boys had money to buy the stuff.

3/The parents have sons that are on dope: the parents have tolerated this or their relationships with their sons were such that they didn't know.

But more can be said of the context of these boys.

What prospects do they have currently in the USA?
The banks were allowed to wreck the economy.
The politicians made the USA virtually bankrupt.
Non-employment and therefore job opportunities are very low.
In what perspective do these boys live?
To make a decent living?
To have a career?
To have affordable health care?
Is their future looking positive or negative?

And what do these boys see when they watch TV?
Cage fighting for example.
It is allowed to show on TV in the USA men that fight barehanded and are allowed to almost do anything to the other to incapacitate.
It is very violent, cruel, degrading and animal like.
This is though the entertainment offered and tolerated by the authorities.

And what do these boys see in the movie theatre?
Many of the films show excessive violence.
An average film show many people killed in most cruel ways.
Violence is offered as entertainment and fun.

And what do these boys play as games on their computers?
Being a fighter equipped with an arsenal of weapons scoring points for each opponent killed.
Computer games played for hours and hours and what does that do to the brains and thinking of young boys?

What kind of society is that in which these boys grow up then?
Can we not expect that in such a context for sure a certain percentage of people lose balance and become as animal like as what is projected on them?

And is the solution then to buy a gun to defend your home?
Isn't the USA caught in a spiral of violence?
Instead of working together to create a better and more peaceful society?


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The USA heading for poverty

Senator Jim Bunning from Kentucky in the United States is said to get old.
And with age getting more difficult to reason with.



What has the old man done that he is seen as an old fool?

The US Government wants to spend $ 10 billion to maintain unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless and to provide stopgap funding for highway programs.
This while the US Government has a debt of
That is 12 trillion Dollars, ladies and gentlemen.
A US national debt that is rising with $ 3.96 billion per day.
Each US citizen has a share of this debt amounting to $ 40,638.40

The only thing Jim Bunning was asking was how the US Government was going to pay for this $ 10 billion while having an enormous debt.
And that makes sense.
If you are in debt for over $ 12 trillion, where are you getting your money from to spend another 10 billion?
Knowing also the 10 billion serves as a stopgap.
According to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., a $100-billion-plus measure is needed to provide a longer-term extension of unemployment benefits that would last through the end of the year, along with a full-year extension of higher Medicare payments to doctors and help for states with their Medicaid budgets.

The message Jim Bunning is sending is that the US Government must stop spending by just adding to the national debt.
He is saying that the money has to come from somewhere else.
From within the budget the US Government has available.
Keeping in mind what Cicero said 106 years before Christ: "The budget should be balanced; the treasury should be refilled; public debt should be reduced; and the arrogance of public officials should be controlled."


The rule should be that if the US Government wants to spend $ 10 billion it must look in the budget where $ 10 billion will not be spend.
The playing field is by what taxes bring in.
Additional excessive borrowing brings a country in a downward spiral and eventually economic misery for its inhabitants to have no more prosperity while pushed into deep poverty.

For years and years now the US politicians and the US people have been living on a financial scale that is not sustainable.
Spending and spending and borrowing and borrowing.
A collision course that is going to bring the country and its inhabitants eventually in a terrible and dramatic situation of devastation and decay.

But few people in the United States want to see this.
Blinded as most are by spending, spending, having, having, consuming, consuming.

Take Maine Senator Susan Collins, a Republican.
She said of her fellow party member Jim Bunning that he is hurting the American people by asking to finance the $ 10 billion from within the budget.

And that is the thing.
If the money is borrowed and the debt made go up, politicians are not hurting the American people.
But if one shows insight, intelligence and concern for the next generations of Americans, the person is against its people.

As long as this mentality is dominant, and it is, the blinded and the stupid are in control.
And the price eventually to pay will be extremely high.

The $ 10 billion could have been easily found inside the Federal budget.
The United States is spending over $ 607 billion annually on their military.
41.5 % of what is spend worldwide by all countries.
Over 4 % of the GDP.
Twice as much as countries like France and three times as much as countries like Germany.

Wouldn't it be better for the United States to stop all this international warring to first clean up the financial mess at home?
And to start taking serious persons like Jim Bunning?





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Osama Bin Laden is a constant embarassement

A dinner with four American friends.
Eating a rich salad.

A quiet and interesting conversation and although the subject is politics, the excitement is not reaching volcanic levels.
This is because all diners agree.

Starting point is that all present at this dinner in Mexico agree that George W. Bush has not only been disastrous for the United States, but for the entire world also.

Next stage in the conversation is that it is realized that Barack Obama has made many promises but that he is unable to fulfill them.
But that he still gets support from the US diners in Mexico because there is no alternative.
If Obama would be classified as an inadequate politician who is not delivering, what else is there to have hope for?
It is said therefore by the American friends that Obama has had until now only one year to change things and will have three more years to try to move Washington rocks and boulders.
So, let's wait and see.
What else to do?

But then during the conversation over this dinner something really peculiar was said.
One of the Americans present claimed that Osama Bin Laden is not captured on purpose.
All the others agreed with this theory and speculation.
The train of thoughts goes that of course it is piece of cake for the CIA and the Seals and the US Army to find and arrest Osama Bin Laden.
How could the most sophisticated army and Intelligence Service in the world not find an old man hiding in a cave?
Logically therefore, the thinking goes, that he is not found on purpose.
That the US politicians calmly wait for the right moment.
So that they can enjoy maximum political benefit from an Osama Bin Laden arrest.

One person present said that he had been convinced that Osama Bin Laden would have been captured during the last elections between McCain and Obama.
For the Republicans to get advantage in the electoral race.
And that he was very surprised it didn't happen.

But all agree, to capture Osama Bin Laden is a piece of cake for the USA: they simply calmly wait for the right moment.

Not one present thinks only for a second that maybe their army, their CIA and their Intelligence Services are unable to catch Osama Bin Laden.
The fact that it also could be because of failure of the Americans, is not an option in the thinking.
Failure of the best in the world, as many Americans perceive themselves, is unimaginable.

Therefore, Osama Bin Laden laughing in his cave, is a constant embarrassment for the Gringo's.
In order not to feel a failure, the theory is used that de facto Osama Bin Laden is already in the hands of the Americans who only wait the right moment to formalize it.

But nevertheless, in spite of escapism, the mood is depressed.
Because everybody expresses awareness that the USA is finished.
As a dominant nation.
And why?
For economical reasons and for having always been aggressive and violent.
The diners are expecting a new economical crises: more serious and devastating than the current one.
Caused by China pulling the economical plug leaving the USA in deep poverty for many years to come.

Ah well, at least that night the salad was super delicious.


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Advantage and disadvantage

Public transportation in California, USA is such that one needs to rent a car to get around.
For example, to go from Los Angeles to a town like Temecula, that is located in between Los Angeles and San Diego, only the private Greyhound buses are the option as a form of public transportation.
But they go that infrequently that to think to go by bus to Temecula from Los Angeles is unrealistic.
To this comes that hardly any trains are available in most regions of California, USA.

Renting a car is easy and not expensive.
Within a few minutes a good deal can be made through websites like Orbitz.
Where one can compare prices easily and book the best deal.

The rental car company called "Advantage" offered a Ford Focus for $ 13.97 a day with all miles free.
The best price of all rental car companies on the internet and therefore they got the business.

But once in the office of "Advantage" near Los Angeles International Airport there was a strange surprise.
The Ford Focus was there indeed.
And the price was $ 13.97 also.
But the person working at the "Advantage"-office near Los Angeles International Airport
informed that the Ford Focus was equipped with Sirius Satellite Radio.
And that this would cost $ 5 a day extra.
Obviously the answer was that no Sirius Satellite Radio was needed.
The Ford Focus also had a regular radio with FM and AM, so why spent $ 5 a day for something that was not of any use?
An amount that increased the daily rate for renting the car with 35 %.
While it is known that a subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio is costing only $ 15 a month.

But the person working at the "Advantage"-office near Los Angeles International Airport
explained that there was no option but to take the car and pay the 35 % extra.
In spite of the agreement as was made through Orbitz.

Obviously this is a sneaky way of "Advantage" to make extra money.
If they rent the car for 30 days a month, they make $ 150 minus $ 15 is $ 135 extra.
Denying any preference of the customer.

The person working at the "Advantage"-office near Los Angeles International Airport
said that he could do nothing about it.
That the "Advantage" Customer Service needed to be called to complain.
And that sometimes they would deduct the costs of the Sirius Satellite Radio from the customer's invoice charged to the credit card.

So why not call the Customer Relations of "Advantage" rent a car?
A toll free number.

The effort was made during half an hour.
And the caller was getting nowhere.
Because a real person is only available to talk to at "Advantage" rent a car in case one wants to make a reservation.
But for all other matters a computerized voice explains other choices of connections that all end up saying that the customer has to call the office where the car was rented.
While the people at the office where the car was rented suggest to call the Customer Relations.
In that way a full circle is made: the customer simply can't complain.

It is not about the money of course in this story.
But it is about how a company is doing business.
How customers are squeezed out of their money indecently.
Not much money, but enough to remain with a bad feeling and the promise never to rent a car anymore from "Advantage".



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To travel to the USA

Traveling to the USA has become a little different since a few months.
Any non-American who wants to go to the USA as a tourist needs to go first to a website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Called "ESTA", that stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
On the "ESTA"-website a procedure needs to be followed to obtain permission for a US-visit.
This procedure is answering a series of questions.
Not only name and address, but also phone number and e-mail address.
And information must be supplied where one will go in the USA.
Name and address of US-friends.
There are other questions as well.
About having diseases and a possible criminal history.

Once this questionnaire is filled in, it can be sent and an answer whether one obtains permission to visit the USA is returned within a few minutes.

This procedure was performed not long ago.
And the answer had been that permission was granted to visit the USA.
As a precaution for possible complications at borders and airports, the permission given on the website was printed out.

Yesterday, at the airport of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the journey to Los Angeles in the USA was started.
Checking in was with British Airways.
Their computers connect to the computer and database of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
To check whether the passenger was granted "ESTA"-permission of entry into the USA.
The response was negative.
And therefore British Airways was not allowing the traveller to get on the plane to fly to Los Angeles, USA.

A peculiar situation.
There was a "ESTA"-document saying that permission was recently granted.
But the current on line response from "ESTA" was contrary.

A nervous situation arose.
If permission from the US-authorities was not obtained, British Airways could not accept the passenger and the ticket would become worthless.

The solution was to go to an Internet café somewhere at the airport of Schiphol, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
And visit again the website of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
And do the whole "ESTA"-procedure of requesting permission to enter the USA again.
In the hope it all would work out before the gates for the flight would close.

It was an extremely nervous situation.
But eventually "ESTA"-permission was obtained on line.
A quick return to the check-in desk of British Airways where they tried again.
This time it worked but then issuing the boarding card was halted by the computer of U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The British Airways employees had to try five times before it worked.

In the end, the flight was caught in its last minutes of boarding and Los Angeles was reached.




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War in shop

One of the favourite American shops is called "Trader Joe".
It is basically a supermarket for food.
However, many products they sell are organic.
And the interior is cozy and attractive.
Hence, it is a pleasure to purchase in "Trader Joe" what one needs to feed the body.

What is also different in "Trader Joe" compared to regular supermarkets is the cashier.
It is made to look like a casual coincidence where the purchased items are transferred
in a most friendly way from the basket into paper bags.

Conclusion: shopping at "Trader Joe" is a great experience.

But then...

Then what?

On the wall behind the check-out counters is an exhibition of pictures.
Photographs.
Portraits only.
In the centre of these images is a sign saying: "Our local grown heroes".
And all of the pictures show faces of men and women in military uniform.
With each a small label revealing the name, the rank and the time in Iraq or Afghanistan.

This wall with its images reminds the happy shopper at "Trader Joe" of rather unhappy events elsewhere.
Two wars raging with people killed daily.
Going on for so long now that hardly any shopper stands still in front of the wall to reflect on the awful situation.
Americans shopping happily while compatriots are fighting on the other side of the world.

War has become a part of the American reality hardly anybody still gets excited about.
Pictures of soldiers who kill and are killed for reasons few still understand are put on the wall in a supermarket and life goes on as if nothing is the matter.
The war is far away from the doorstep.

Part of the slipping away of the awareness and the following denial is the classification of the American soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Our local grown heroes".
But are these men and women actually heroes?
Or are they called like that just to soften and smooth the thinking?
To stop reflecting on what really is happening and for what reasons.

Wars that go on for too long lose the connection with the original intentions for starting them.
A war becomes something of itself.
It started somehow, it is going on and nobody knows how to stop it.
From something big it becomes a little nothing.
To see portraits of soldiers, death or still alive, on the wall in a supermarket and nobody pays them any attention anymore.

Meanwhile, every day, innocent civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and now that the war has spread, also in Pakistan, die.
Meanwhile, every day the family members of the American soldiers live in fear.
Meanwhile, every day coffins with dead bodies return from the wars.
Meanwhile, every day soldiers return from the war who are physically and psychologically damaged for the rest of their lives.

While the collective forgets.
And the individual cries.


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The ss USA is sinking

Warren Edward Buffett (born August 30, 1930) is a U.S. investor, businessman, and philanthropist.
He is one of the most successful investors in history, the largest shareholder and C.E.O. of insurance and investment company Berkshire Hathaway and in 2008 was ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of approximately $62 billion.
A guy who knows everything about money and the ways it flows.
If he says something about the economy, we better listen carefully.

Today he has said that the United States is spending 85 % more money than is coming in.
What does that mean?

Imagine, you make $ 3,000 a month.
But you spend $ 5,550 a month.
That's no good, right?
You may get the extra $ 2,550 by using credit cards.
Borrowing the money from the bank.
That's expensive and some day you need to repay the money you borrowed.
Hence, in fact, of the $ 2,550 extra you borrow, part has to be used to pay the interest on the loan.
And the question is, with this extra amount you borrow and that you can spend, are you making more money than if you would simply live of your income of $ 3,000 a month?
You better do otherwise it is like sinking deeper and deeper in the drift sand.

Of course no fervent and loyal blog readers is earning $ 3,000 a month and spending $ 5,550 a month.
That would be really stupid and asking for fatal trouble.
Besides, no bank or credit card company will borrow 85 % of the monthly income.

However, currently the United States as a country, as an economic mammoth, according to Warren Buffet, is just doing that.
Spending 85 % more than is coming in.

How can this happen?
By borrowing.
From Japan and China.
And anyone who believes that the American economy in the future will be able to generate enough money to pay back the loans and pay the interests.

Warren Buffett said today that a revived American economy will not be able to generate enough revenues to bridge the gap between outlays and receipts, so changes in taxes and spending will be required.

Now, that is something no American citizen is prepared to accept.
Change in spending?
Paying higher taxes?
No way, José.

So, any politician who wants to be elected will never have a policy to increase taxes in order to pay off the national deficit that is now reaching almost 2 trillion dollars.
The politician will simply not get enough votes to be elected.
So, according to Warren Buffet, politicians may opt to quietly let inflation increase, a move that will "confiscate" wealth and allow the United States to evolve into a "banana republic economy".

It is easy to see what will be the economic future of the United States.
Either taxes will go up dramatically to pay off the national debt and consequently the American citizen will be forced to seriously limit the life of luxury and comfort.
Or, and this is the most likely scenario, inflation will lower the value of the US Dollar so much, that it will have not much buying power anymore.
Resulting in an American citizen having dollars that buy not much more than the local apples and carrots.
Everything else that comes from outside the USA will be too expensive to buy.
And that includes oil.

Warren Buffet is painting this picture of the USA today.
And nobody will be alarmed, shocked and start taking drastic measures to avoid these horror scenarios.
The ship will continue to sail while the holes in the hull let the water in more and more.
It will sink but on the deck they dance.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To read in detail what Warren Buffet has to say about the US economy, click on:
http://www.rttnews.com/Content/TopStories.aspx?Node=B1&Id=1044505&Category=Top Stories






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Political solutions

There are several decisions governments worldwide could made that would drastically change the political and social situation in the world.
Unorthodox and rather revolutionary decisions but they have that nature because the current strategies and policies are old fashioned and not working.
In the past we have seen similar situations that revolutionary approaches to how to organize and direct societies suddenly came about.
The French revolution of 1789 and the Russian revolution of 1917.
These days we are in such a mess it is time for a new revolution.
By democratically forcing current governments to change fundamentally their policies or by a real revolution coming from the majority of the population.

Some decisions governments could take that drastically will improve the lives of many people:

1/
In the USA and elsewhere drugs should be legalized in a controlled manner.
Anybody should be able to obtain and use drugs like hard liquor, marijuana, cocaine and heroine.
Users of hard drugs can go to their GP, obtain a permit for a certain amount and buy their quantum in an official shop for prices controlled by the Government.
In this way drugs are de-criminalised.
It will end the illegal drug trade and the drug wars.
Drugs then will become a source of income for the governments.
This money should be spend to assist medically and psychologically the drug addicts.

2/
All foreign troops and fighters must leave Iraq and Afghanistan right away.
The people of Iraq and Afghanistan must be allowed to create the societies they want in a way they prefer.
Even if those societies will not be to our liking or to our economic advantage.
If the Taliban wants to create an orthodox Islamic state in Afghanistan, why should we be opposed when we tolerate it so generously of our friend Saudi Arabia?
Next, we can deal with countries with who we disagree concerning democratic rights and equality between men and women in a civilized way without violence.
By using methods like economic boycott and cultural isolation.
And using institutions like the International Court of Justice.

3/
The US Dollar must end as the worldwide leading standard in the economy.
Because the US Dollar by now is a hollow balloon and in fact completely worthless.
Business can only be allowed in currencies like the Chinese Yuan, the Japanese Yen and the European Euro: currencies that are backed up by sufficient reserves.
This will stop a standard of luxurious living in the USA that is financed by borrowing that makes billions of people elsewhere live in painful poverty.

4/
Annually the USA donates to Israel about 2,5 billions of dollars.
Since the formation of the Hamas led Palestinian Authority government after democratic elections in March 2006, the US administration has suspended its foreign assistance program to the Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
What should happen is this:
Half of any financial support to Israel must go to the Palestinians.
Linked to very precise and rigorous conditions.
Any action contrary to international laws and previous agreements are immediately punished by withholding financial assistance.
This new way of financing applies not only to the USA, but to the European Union as well.
It also goes for the financial aid that Iran and Saudi Arabia are giving to the Palestinians.
Half of the money donated to the Palestinians goes to Israel but again, with very precise and rigorous conditions.
Otherwise: nothing and let the Palestinian and Israeli populations then have it fight out with their political leaders.

5/
Islamic fundamentalists must be allowed to come to Europe and the USA and propagate their ideas.
This fundamental and democratic right is exercised by Christian fundamentalists also, is it not?
However, the promoting of certain religions and ideologies is only allowed within the frame work of democracy.
Only in the lawful way as is democratically agreed upon.

6/
Industrial breeding of animals for meat consumption should be banned.




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Mullahs must be mosqued

When there were elections in the USA last year, something very special and unique was happening.
George W. Bush had made a terrible mess nationally, internationally and economically and a majority of the American people were totally fed up with him and his nihilistic and disastrous politics.
In this horrible situation appears a man with great oratorical skills, charisma and new ideas.
Barack Obama.
He was having a perfect situation to rouse people.
To fill them with hope.
To make them believe there was a new and better future awaiting them.
Obama made the Americans believe in themselves and in their country again.
A fabulous momentum was created.
Almost a hysteria.
That resulted in an election victory.
The perfect outcome for all the people that believed change was possible.

Over the last months the same thing has been happening in Iran.
Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1978 an escalation has been taking place in that country.
Between the segregationists and the Islamists.
The Islamists forced a religious and conservative society upon the Iranians based on the Koran: the holy book of the Islam.
The segregationists wanted a liberal, modern and democratic society where not a religion and its representatives rule the people.
This escalation has been growing and growing and came to the surface during the last elections about a month ago.

A same thing happened as in the USA: a majority of the Iranian people had enough of the current politicians, ideology and Islamic leaders and wanted change.
They went out in the streets by the thousands and thousands to express their opinion.
However, in Iran it went differently compared to the USA.
The elections seem to have been rigged: it is possible that the official winners of the elections, the Islamists, have been playing foul.
And secondly, the Islamists suppressed the demonstrations.
Going as far as locking hundreds of them up in prison and killing many peaceful demonstrators.

The current situation in Iran for the segregationists, the majority of the people, is one of defeat and hopelessness.
Their great momentum has resulted in nothing.
In fact, it has been totally counterproductive.
Iran is more repressive and autocratic than ever before.

That makes any concerned person sad.
Not often a moment arises that people in majority find each other and force democratic evolution.

Iran is a beautiful country.
With very wonderful people.
Having tremendous potential.
But it is ruined by orthodox Islamists.

See this video received recently from Iran to feel the momentum a majority of the Iranians have shared but that has been aborted:










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Your health is as good as the money you have.

How is a person traveling constantly and not having a home taking care of health insurance?
Because it can always happen that medical assistance is needed.
As this can be very costly, it is a good idea to have a health insurance.
Right?

An ordinary health insurance for a permanent pilgrim is not an option.
Because a health insurance company wants a client to live in one fixed place.
If a client travels a lot and something happens during a journey, the health insurance will not cover when they learn of the frequency of traveling.

Fortunately, there are health insurance companies that are prepared to cover persons on the road constantly.
One such company is “HealthCare International”.
Based in London, U.K.
They are having 35 years of experience insuring expatriates and travelers.

It goes too far to explain the details of the policy but this tireless traveler pays for a health insurance with “HealthCare International” an annual premium of € 2.050 ($ 2,880).
That’s € 170 ($ 238) per month.

There is a deductible of € 1.000 ($ 1,405) per year but this does not apply to outpatient physician and paramedical fees.

Now, just for the fun of it, the lowest monthly payment USA health insurance for a similar person as the permanent pilgrim will cost € 158 ($222,29).
From Avera Health Plans.
However, there is a deductible of € 3.558 ( $ 5,000).
Plus the policy holder must pay 30 % of all medical bills him/herself.

In other words: an American health insurance is very expensive.

So, we may conclude that it would make sense for an American citizen to also get a health insurance from the British company “HealthCare International”.

Not really.
Because the above mentioned “HealthCare International” insurance of
€ 170 ($ 238) per month excludes the USA.
This means that when the policy holder of the “HealthCare International” insurance breaks his or her arm while in the USA, the medical bills have to be paid from the own pocket.

This doesn’t mean that a worried customer frequently in the USA cannot have medical costs covered over there as well.
The same policy from “HealthCare International” including the USA will cost € 446,57 ( $ 627,45)
An enormous difference.
The USA excluded € 170 or the USA included € 446.

We all know that the health care system in the USA has become the playing field of the capitalists.
American health insurance companies make annually $ 250 billion.
Because it is a free for all society where nothing is protected from making profit.
Even if it results in people not getting proper health care.

Health care should be excellent and for free worldwide.
It should not be the playing field for greedy capitalists to grab more money.

Health care for free everywhere and of top quality?
An idiotic thought?
An impossibility?
Not at all, fervent and loyal blog readers.
Global military spending stands now at over $ 1.2 trillion.
If we would spend half of that money on health care, good doctors could be for free everywhere.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about "HealthCare International", click on:

http://www.healthcareinternational.com/


To learn more about USA health insurance premiums, click on:

https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ehi/Quote.fs

To learn more about global military spending, click on:

http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending



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American heroes of the highway.

The Highway 73 in California, USA is a toll road.
One has to pay for using it.
It is the fastest way to reach Laguna Beach when coming from Los Angeles or San Diego.
And before a driver knows Highway 73 is under the wheels.

Paying the toll takes place at the exits.
Moderate prices: 2 or 3 US Dollars.
There is a pay booth but nobody is in there.
It is all fully automated.
There is a basket in which the driver has to throw the amount to be paid.
In coins.
In the case of 2 US Dollars, 8 coins of 25 cents.

Now, what if a driver has no coins?
Or not sufficient coins?
For these unfortunate travellers a bill-changing machine is available.
However, this bill-changing machine accepts only bills of 1 US Dollar and 5 US Dollars.

Now, what if a driver has no coins and no bills of 1 and 5 US Dollars?

This situation was hard reality for the Fuso Szulc driver temporarily steering this Porsche Carrera.
There were in the wallet bills of 20 US Dollars.
No good for the bill-changing machine.
There were also coins in the wallet, but only 75 cents.

There was a second lane with a basket to pay and over there also a car had come to a stop.
It was a fancy car with two young guys heavily decorated with tattoos.
The guy in the passenger seat called out to the Porsche driver.
“You got any coins for us?”
Obviously they were in exactly the same situation.
No coins to pay the toll of Highway 73.
It was explained that both cars were stuck now.
Because a sign had been seen that if a driver proceeded without paying, a fine was charged of 47,50 US Dollars.

What to do?
In Spain and France toll can be paid with a credit card.
But at Highway 73 the options were rather limited.
Slowly the conclusion was reached that it was impossible to pay and that the Highway 73 had to be exited without donating the toll.
To see later on the credit card statement an amount of 47,50 US Dollars deducted through the rental car agency for traffic violations.

Almost ready to violate and take off, the guy from the other car approached the desperate driver.
In his hands two 1 US Dollar bills.
“Take it”, he said, “We found some bills in the glove compartment of our car”.

Many travels have been made.
Often generosity and friendliness have been experienced.
But what these two tattooed guys did is extraordinary.
Because once they found their US Dollar bills, they contemplated and came up with the idea to share with the other car their good luck.

American heroes of he Highway.




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Let's go to Europe!

The situation has been changing drastically compared to the time when staying in the dry riverbed near the Sea of Cortez and the Gonzales family.

Now days are lived deep into the American society together with good friends.
Talking, discussing and dining.
And getting things done on the Fuso Szulc.

But now the serious travelling is starting.
Today the Fuso Szulc drives from Temecula to San Diego.
A two-hour journey.
Next, with a rented Porsche, from San Diego to Laguna Beach for lunch with a long time friend.
Then, from Laguna Beach to Los Angeles for dinner with another good friend.
While tomorrow the British Airways flight is booked to go to London and Amsterdam.

This results in excitement although many travels have been made already.
Each time it remains an adventure.

At the same time, in the left corner of the heart, there is nostalgia twirling.
Sentiments for the people, the dogs and the environment left behind less than 8 days ago.

Reports have reached the Fuso Szulc that the two best dogs Guante and Rocky who shared life in the dry river bed of Punta Boca del Salado so gallantly, are now sitting right on the spot where the Fuso Szulc was parked.
Waiting for a return.
This inspires the thought to cancel everything on the schedule and drive back immediately.
Because dogs are innocent.
They can’t understand what is going on.
Intolerable to let that happen and have them in this kind of confusion.

But returning to what once was is not in the dictionary.
It is never a step made in the approach of life this photographer is performing.
The head is always facing forwards.

There is much more that is left behind in Punta Boca del Salado.
More than any fervent and loyal blog reader can imagine.
Major situations in the personal life that have not been reported about in postings.
Because the fervent and loyal blog readers are not classified to know everything.

Nevertheless, it feels good to have left the situation with all its aspects experienced during the last five months.
To widen now the horizon and allow new and surprising events to happen.
To remember in a perspective, that puts it all in a more objective and balanced way.

The luggage has been packed.
The Fuso Szulc will be without an inhabitant for at least 4 weeks.
Maybe even longer.

Let’s go to Europe!



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An oval tunnel

A friend in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico has a business and he needs tools.
Hence, a visit to the NAPA store in the USA.
A fabulous store where they have everything.
If not, it comes the next day.

But something went wrong.
Or different.
The salesman said the tools would be there as of 08.00 am next day.
But when the NAPA shop was visited to pick up the ordered tools at 10.30 am the saleswoman apologized. The tools would be there after 03.00 pm.
A golden opportunity to spent over 4 hours at the mercy of chance.

First plan was to go to a shopping centre where is the “Paperback Shack”.
In this shop they sell second hand books and often, when in Temecula, USA, new reading material is purchased there.

Next door is a very good Japanese restaurant: run by Japanese people!
So, next a lunch outside in the sunshine was enjoyed while reading “The New York Times”.

New in this shopping centre was a place called “Sunny Foot Massage”.
Recently, a special friend reported she had a fabulous massage, so why only she?

However, these parlours offering massages in the USA are well known for semi-prostitution.
Men go there to have a “massage” but in fact it is the “hand job” that they want.

The management of this blog doesn’t know how well informed most fervent and loyal readers are concerning these issues.
Do they know what is a “hand job”?

For those of us who do not know immediately what is a “hand job” the management of this blog has asked the professor in sexology Dr. Manuel Contristo to enlighten us.
Dr. Manuel Contristo explains:
“A hand job is a woman jerking off a man”.

There is even a procedure to come to this activity when a man visits a place that looks like a decent massage centre.
Like “Sunny Foot Massage”.
Saying they do Men AND Women.
And Foot Massages.
Activities far away from what our friend Dr. Contristo explained.

The man visiting the US massage parlour books a one-hour body massage and a woman does the job.
And when finally the last 15 minutes have been reached, she asks: “Do you want the last 15 minutes a happy ending?”
In case the man says yes she replies: “That’s $ 50 extra then.”
And she starts massaging where it is prostitution.

This is illegal in California, USA and many massage shops have been closed by the police for this reason.
But men have their desires and loneliness and the masseuses have their financial ambitions.
Therefore, when a man walks into “Sunny Foot Massage” questions are in the minds of all involved. The man asks himself: is this a place where they practice happy endings?
The masseuses think: is this man expecting to get a happy ending?

This issue cannot be openly propagated or discussed in the parlour.
They can’t put a sign on the wall saying: “Happy endings available”.
The police would shut down the parlour right away. The man on the other hand can’t ask for it as he may be arrested for soliciting prostitution.

Many fervent and loyal blog readers understand now that to walk into a massage parlour in California, USA makes the head spin.

A most beautiful Chinese woman was behind the reception desk and explained that indeed, a massage was available right away.
She brought the customer to a dark room in the back of the parlour.
Out of earshot of the other people present she asked: “Do you want a man or a woman to massage you?”

Now, what does that mean?
Many speculations result from such a question.
But the attitude is: stay always on your own line, man!
Hence, the reply was that it didn’t matter.
Realizing that in case that the secret language was spoken, she would understand now that the customer was not a happy ending one.
Not by a girl.
And not by a man.

Next issue was how to prepare for the massage.
In Europe most people undress completely.
But probably in prudish USA most people keep on the underwear.
Again, the decision was to stay on the own line and off went all the clothes.

Laying on the table, decent thanks to a strategically placed towel, the thought penetrated the mind if now a man would show up to do the job or a woman.
Would that matter?
Actually, yes.
From a woman a more tender and loving treatment may be expected and that is of course what this body wishes.

The door opened and the head was forced to stay down not to immediately reveal the curiosity about the gender of the employee.
Pretending it didn’t matter.

It was a man.
Well, all right.

He was the worst masseur ever.
Rough, ungentle, unloving, unsystematic and unskilled.
An oriental person, like all the employees in “Sunny Foot Massage”.
Not speaking English.

It was the first time that it was experienced that when he massaged the neck muscles, his elbow was banging the head.
It was like a bulldozer rattling over the back.

At one point during the session, the sadistic masseur spoke and said: “Tunnel oval”.
And he left the dark room.

Laying there it was contemplated what “Tunnel oval” actually means?
Is that Chinese for: “Sorry, I need to go to the bathroom?” or “I give up?”

After a short while he returned and started to repeatedly say:
“Tunnel oval”
“Tunnel oval”
“Tunnel oval”

When looking up the guy was standing there with a sheet in his widespread arms holding it in front of him like a screen.
So he could not see his victim.
At that moment, as a revelation, it was understood what “Tunnel oval” means.
It means: “TURN OVER”.

Being naked he didn’t want to embarrass seeing punishable nudity and had left the room for the person to turn over unobserved.

Usually after a good massage a person feels like reborn.
Twenty-five years younger if over fifty.
Full of energy and vitality.
And a restored inner balance that lasts at least a day.

“Sunny Foot Massage” was left $ 50 lighter and black and blue.
Feeling hardly any age difference.

Nevertheless, there was a good feeling and inner balance.
Because it was realized material had been acquired for another fascinating posting on this blog.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Many thanks to Dr. Manuel Contristo.






.


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Transfer $ 8 please.

A visit to the Barnes & Nobles Bookstore in Temecula, California, USA.

Barnes & Nobles is the most favourite shop in the USA.
Well stocked.
Well organized.
Relaxed atmosphere.
Friendly and helpful employees.
And there is always a nice coffee shop inside Barnes & Nobles.

Trader Joe is very good shop too but it is hard to find books there.

Nowadays, Barnes & Nobles has the policy that if they don’t have the book you are looking for, they will ship it to you for free.
That is probably out of necessity as Barnes & Nobles experience strong competition from Amazon.com.

Coming out of the shop the mood was excellent.
The book “Animals in translation: using the mysteries of autism to decode animal behaviour” by Temple Grandin had been bought and the Barnes & Nobles card extended for another year.

The mood was so good that other people were hearing the content man whistle a nice tune.
It is true, it would have been hard to recognize the song “Blackbird” by the Beatles, as that song was whistled.
But everybody understood the good mood.

So did obviously an African-American young lady who was sitting half way in, half way out, on the passenger’s side of a nice car.
Many would have called her pretty.
She was well dressed.
Made up expertly.
Even decorated with some jewellery.

She called out to the whistler passing by:
“Excuuuse me, but can I have a word with you?”

How to ignore such a request made by an African American young lady?


She told “they” were from Lake Elsinore.
A town about 40 miles to the north.
Their car had broken down.
She claimed they were in a “desperate” situation.
Would the gentleman be so kind to give $ 8 so she could buy a ticket for the bus to go home?

The reply was: “You can use my mobile phone to call your brother to come and help you”.

That pissed her off badly.
From being friendly she turned into a nasty bitch.
The moment to return into the whistle mode and continue the walk in the sunshine to the unique Fuso Szulc.

This approach to ask for travel money due to terrible circumstances has been experienced before.
Clearly in the memory is this pretty Polish girl in the main station of Warsaw.
Waiting there for a train she came up to the traveller and explained she was robbed and had therefore lost all her money.
And could the kind gentleman be so kind to give her some Zlotys so she could buy a train ticket to go home?
The answer given was: “OK, let’s go to the ticket counter together and I will buy you the ticket you need”.
For the girl to take off and disappear into the crowd.

Another time there was this man in Paris who had this story he had not eaten for days due to being unemployed and having no money.
He heard: “OK, let’s go to that restaurant and I buy you a dinner”.
It made him run away too.

Now some fervent and loyal blog readers may argue that the African American lady’s car in Temecula had maybe truly broken down.
And that she truly needed $ 8 for the bus.
But that is very unlikely.
Who is travelling to a shopping centre in another town without any money?
Who is not having a mobile phone to request help of relatives or AAA?

The lady didn’t look she would be a customer of Barnes & Nobles.
Hence, it might be a scheme.
Her daily work to make money.
Park her car near a shop where intellectual, often liberal and for sure good-hearted people go to shop.
Like beggars putting themselves next to the entrance door of the church.
And approach every person afraid to be called a racist with a tear jerking story.

Still, several fervent and loyal blog readers may not agree how this situation has been handled.
Those are invited to PayPal through the “donation”-button on this blogside $ 8 and this money will be carried and offered to the African American lady hanging out next to the Barnes & Nobles store in Temecula, California, USA.
$8, minus shipping and handling of course.





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Stoking steel

The stimulus package Barack Obama wants to start implementing has a very weird rule.

Much of the money will be spend on the decayed infrastructure in the USA.
Many bridges need to be repaired or even rebuild.
For this a lot of steel is needed.

Steel can be bought from all over the world.
Usually, when steel is needed, it is bought where it is the cheapest.
Steel used in the USA can be coming from China or Europe.
But this time, the stimulus package forbids this.
The steel must be bought in the USA.

This is called protectionism.
What has at least two consequences.
The steel will be more expensive.
And the countries that cannot sell their steel to the USA, usually retaliate by banning importing certain products from the USA.

In the short term, getting the steel only from the USA seems not to be such a bad idea.
It keeps the US-steel industry in business.

However, in the long term it is very damaging to an economy.
The particular industry operates without competition and will become inefficient.
And the counter measures by other countries may damage the national US economy more than the advantage of buying American steel only.

Protectionism and boycotting imports is not an unknown tune to the US Government.
In the USA there is a huge meat industry and they like to export their products.
To Europe as well.
But the Europeans refuse to buy American meat.
The reason is that American meat is coming from animals that are given growth hormones.
That end up in the bodies of the meat eaters and can cause cancer.
In Europe meat with growth hormones is therefore considered dangerous for the health.
So they choose not to buy it.
Instead, they get meat from other countries like Argentina.
This doesn’t please the US-Government.
As a punishment for not buying American meat, the US Government is not allowing imports of certain European goods and products.
The WTO (World Trade Organization) has condemned this US policy but nothing is changing.

We live in a complex world.
Boycotting, banning, limiting, sanctions: they are no good solutions.

A better idea is to import only from countries where the wages paid there to the workers are at least the same as in the importing country.
If a product is made somewhere by workers paid less, it cannot be imported and the product has to be made in the own country.
If a product is made somewhere and the workers are paid more, it becomes beneficial to produce the product in the own country: it will be cheaper.
For a country like China to export, it must first raise the wages of their workers.

A result of this system will be that products become more expensive.
But a result will also be that workers worldwide will be paid a decent salary.
Something that cannot be claimed right now.
The cheap stuff from China in Wall*Mart is available only because too many Chinese work like slaves.
They are earning low salaries, have hardly social welfare and live in miserable conditions.

In the end, everybody can buy what one needs.
If it becomes more expensive because workers get paid more decently, it only will take a little longer before the product can be bought.
We will learn to save money again before we buy something.
And we will learn again only to buy what we really need.

*************************************

To learn the details and facts of the US-trade policy for not being able to sell hormone treated meat, click on:

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:HVfxgRtt2YAJ:www.eurunion.org/eu/index2.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26do_pdf%3D1%26id%3D1722+usa+retaliation+import+sanctions&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us&client=firefox-a






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